Law is a general rule of adherence to external acts.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim — no Latin equivalent; the English title is the original form.) The law governs outward conduct, not private thought — a man's intentions are judged by his acts, and legal obligations attach to what is done or omitted, not to what is merely contemplated.

Where this applies

• A man is charged with conspiracy based solely on his private journal entries expressing anger at a neighbor, but the court dismisses the charge because the law governs acts, not thoughts.
• A defendant's hostile text messages are offered as proof of assault, but the court holds that words alone are not the external act the law requires for criminal liability.
• An employee is fired for privately disagreeing with company policy in a personal email, and the court rules that internal beliefs are not the outward conduct that employment law regulates.